How to Not End Up Throwing Away All of Your Groceries

Five simple ways to ensure your food ends up on a plate, not in the trash.

With that hunk of cheddar that's now more mold than cheese and that bag of onions that have decomposed into brown slime, cleaning out the fridge is the most unpleasant non-bathroom chore. At a personal level, throwing out uneaten food represents a waste of your work and money, and on a global level, nearly a third of all food gets wasted, representing a huge amount of resources poured into nothing. Luckily, with a little planning you can keep food waste from ruining your budget and your environment.

More From Cosmopolitan

1. Shop Smart
Food waste starts with shopping. When you're heading to the store, have a plan for the meals you'll be making for the next few days and the ingredients you'll need. If you know you don't have a plan (hey, it happens) just buy what you'll need for that day or the next. It's especially important to keep this in mind with perishables — do you really think you'll be able to eat a crate of clementines in a week?

2. Storage Solutions
Even if your fridge isn't much bigger than a shoebox, there are a few basic things you can do to improve your food storage. Keep dairy and meats in the back so they'll stay cold. If you have two tubs of yogurt on hand, put the oldest tub in front of the new one.

If all your vegetables are in green bags, you'll have a hard time knowing what's what. Instead, invest in some large clear zip-top bags and keep your veggies in them. That way, you can easily see what you've got. And if the idea of all that plastic has you squirming, just rinse and reuse the bags.

3. Freeze It
Look, your freezer can do a lot more than make ice or keep vodka cold. If time is almost up for that fish you didn't get around to frying, bag it, label it, and freeze it. Vegetables that are about to expire can be cooked and frozen. And the great thing about a stocked freezer is that the freezer itself is actually more efficient that way. You just saved money and food; you win.

4. Sharing is Caring
Next time you're staring down two heads of cauliflower and a chicken, invite someone over for dinner. Cook up something you can throw in a big container and bring food for your coworkers. Ask the cute guy down the hall if he wants your leftovers!

5. Hone Your Pantry Skills
A big part of not wasting food is not buying it in the first place. Look for dishes that can be made with blessedly shelf-stable goods (think pastas, canned veggies, and other stuff that has a far, far away expiration date). Find some faves, and make them your go-to meals. Or, eat your way through your fridge before you allow yourself to shop more — that'll give you Iron Chef-style cooking skills and make it easier to see what you've actually got on hand. If ever in doubt, remember that a single egg makes almost anything tolerable, if not delicious.

Elizabeth Stark is a food writer with a passion for seasonal food, great desserts, and inadvisable wine pairings. Read more on her blog, Brooklyn Supper.